A blog of the writings and thoughts of free thinker, teacher, engineer and all-around knowledge buff. Topics covered include: Philosophy, Global Politics, Education, Physics, English Football and Speculative Fiction.

Friday, July 21, 2006

Quiz #5 Time

Time - An incredibly fascinating topic.

1.What is equal to 9,192,631,770 vibrations of a cesium-133 atom?2.What word is used to describe the first and/or last glow of sunlight for the day?3.Which political leader was responsible for making January 1st the first day of the new year?4.How did the Gregorian calendar improve on the earlier Julian calendar?5.The Egyptian calendar was based on the rising of this star (the brightest in the sky other than our sun). What was the star?6.Up until 1752 in what month did the beginning of the year fall in the England and the American colonies?7.What was the name of the calendar (proposed after World War II) that had days named W December and W June?8.What is the only fictitious animal in the Chinese year cycle?9.What is the date of the vernal equinox?10. What calendar change was introduced in the US in 1967?11. How many standard time zones are there?12.What is midnight in military time?

Answers to Time

1.One second. This is the definition of a second for those that believe in precision.2.Twilight3.Julius Caesar4.It improved on the alignment of the calendar with the seasons by not providing for a leap year in century years that are not divisible by 400 eg. 1900.5.Sirius. The Egyptian calendar had twelve 30-day months containing five day weeks and five dates of festivals.6.March. Specifically March 25th.7.The World Calendar. Its adoption has failed passage in the UN.8.The Dragon.9.March 21st.10.Daylight Saving Time or fast time.11.24. The division into time zones was agreed at the 1884 Washington Meridian Conference. Canadian Sandford Fleming played a key role in the development of this now internationally recognized system.12.0000

I believe in the existence of a single power, an entity of unimaginable intelligence whose true essence cannot be defined. For convenience I will call this being God. It is God who created all of this universe and all possible universes past, present and future. Who or what God is supersedes explanation. God can destroy the universe as simply as it was created for God transcends all that is matter, energy and spirit. God is one.

I am best described as a Classical Liberal in that I champion democracy, human rights, private ownership of property, free enterprise, meritocracy, high levels of education, the rule of law and a complete openess to discussion and debate within society.

A person's ability to solve a problem depends on the perspective that you view yourself in relation to the problem. Always look down at the problem as though you are its master. Look up to the problem and you are lost from the beginning

Express the rhythm of one's thoughts in poetry but be careful not to allow the rhythm to dominate the ideas. It is the idea that is always paramount.